Baltimore teens experience life as mayor for a day

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WMAR

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WMAR

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WMAR

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WMAR

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

BALTIMORE - The mayor of Baltimore invites a few students to the experience of a lifetime, an up close look at what it's like to run a city.

Meet Asia McCullum and Michaela Smith, who each had the chance to by "mayor for the day."

"I asked my office to choose two young women who exemplify great students and what it means to be active participants in the community," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. "And I think with Asia and Micheala we have two great examples."

Through the meet and greets, and even making a baby smile, these teens learn first-hand about the power of local government in rebuilding communities and touching lives, like their visit to Park Heights to share food donated by city workers or a tour of "moveable feast," which provides thousands of meals a week to the sick and homebound.

"It really showed me that politicians are involved," McCullum said.

Added Smith: "It has been amazing. The mayor has a really exciting life."

Smith knows about giving back. Just the other day this 13 year-old donated the more than $500 dollars raised by her own business to Komen Maryland to aid those with breast cancer; a lesson learned from her own family.

"My mom is a year-and-a-half survivor," Smith said. "And my grandmother, my aunt and my cousin have all been impacted by breast cancer."

The issue is personally close to the mayor as well.

"We're definitely kindred spirits when it comes to caring about families and survivors of breast cancer," Rawlings-Blake said. "So it was exciting to have her with me today."

Neither student sees the job of mayor in their future. But both promise to stay involved in the community.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.